Drill head retract mechanism



Sept. 17, 1968 w. w. svENDsEN DRILL HEAD RETRACT MECHANISM I 2 Sheets-Shea?.v 1

Filed Dec. 22, 1966 d/Wf/f/af Z/a/ff 2./ dzwzdsm gnoras 5' Staf/re' Sept. 17, 1968 w. w. svENDsl-:N 3,401,756

DRILL HEAD RETRACT MECHANISM Filed Dec. 22, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O 3,401,756 DRILL HEAD RETRACT MECHANISM Walter W. Svendsen, Gaastra, Mich., assignor to Odgers Drilling Inc., Iron River, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Dec. 22, 1966, Ser. No. 604,059 8 Claims. (Cl. 173-44) This invention relates to a drill head retract mechanism, and more particularly to an improvement on the mechanism disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 378,016, led June .25, 1964, now Patent No. 3,301,334, entitled, drill rig, and assigned to a common assignee.

In that application, a drill head is mounted for sliding movement on a track and is occasionally removed from the track for retraction purposes. This is accomplished by manually removing a pin adjacent the lower end of the track, and subsequently manually attaching a retract device to the drill head. A relatively complicated mechanism is required.

The present invention provides an improved structure wherein the drill head can be released from the track and retracted without the need for manual manipulation, regardless of the angle of the Idrill mast.

In accordance with the invention cooperative head guide means are disposed between the retract device and head whereby the head can ride olf the end of the track and then retract, while all the time being accurately controlled as to position.

The accompanying drawings illustrative the best mode presently contemplated by the inventor for carrying out the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a |drill rig constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation of the rig;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the lower end portion of the rig and showing the drill head as it moves downwardly;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 and showing the drill head in a lower position with the commencement of engagement of the cooperative guide means;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIGS. 3 and 4, showing the drill head retracted; and

FIG. v6 is a generally schematic side elevation of the cooperative lguide means, including the retract mechamsm.

As shown in FIGS. l and 2 of the drawings, the drill rig which incorporates the invention is adapted to be mounted on a truck 1 having a rigid frame or deck 2. The rig comprises an elongated rigid frame or mast 3 of preferably rectangular construction which is mounted on deck 2 and which may be stored in `a horizontal position ,and raised by suitable mechanism to an upright or angular position, depending on the angle of the hole to be ldrilled.

A drill head 4 is disposed within mast 3 for generally vertical movement therein. For this purpose, the ends of drill head 4 are suitably secured to the lower ends of a pair of elongated pistons 5 which slide in a complimentary pair of elongated cylinders 6. Cylinders 6 are pivotally mounted at the top of mast 3, as at 7 and piston 6 may be slideably moved therein by any suitable means, to thereby raise the lower drill head 4.

To provide stability of drill head 4, a pair of elongated rails or tracks 8 are mounted on the mast. A channel-like mounting bracket 9 is secured to or forms part of each end of head 4 and is slideably disposed over the adjacent track 8 for movement therealong.

The structure described so far is generally similar to that ICC disclosed in the aforementioned application Ser. No. 378,016.

It is sometimes ydesirable to retract drill head 4 in such a manner so that it is no longer in line with the mast legs. The present invention provides la novel structure for accomplishing this result.

As best shown in FIGS. 3-6, the invention contemplates utilization of motive means for retracting drill head 4 in a.- forward direction, and mutually engageable automatically releasible means for connecting the head and motive means.

In the embodiment shown, the motive means comprises an hydraulic cylinder 10 an-d associated-piston 11 which is supplied with suitable fluid and Iwhich is actuated for extension or retraction of the piston, as by any suitable well known control valve (not shown) which is actuated by a switch 12. Cylinder 10 is suitably mounted on the mast framework forwardly of the lower ends of tracks 8, and piston 11 is pivotally secured, as at 13 to one end of a lever 14. Lever 14 is centrally mounted for pivotal movement with a shaft 15 defining a horizontal axis, and extends downwardly therefrom. The lower end of lever 14 is pivoted to a link larm 16 which extends rearwardly in a igenerally horizontal direction toward but beneath the lower terminus of a track 8. The outer end of link arm 16 is pivoted to a retract assembly which includes a channel-like guide member 17 which slides on a horizontal rail 18 normal to tracks 8 and forming part of the mast framework.

An upwardly opening sleeve 19 is mounted on guide member 17 `for movement therewith. When piston 11 is in its retracted position, sleeve 19 is disposed beneath the end of track 8 an-d is adapted to be coupled to drill head 4. For this purpose, a pin 20 is secured to and extends down- Wardly from bracket 9, and is normally disposed along the inner track face in general alignment with sleeve 19. As head 4 is moved downwardly by suitably extending mast pistons 5, pin 20 will enter sleeve 19 as shown in FIG. 4. However, the construction and position of the parts is such that head 4 will not ride olf and be released from tracks 8 until pin 20 is substantially within sleeve 19. Once complete engagement of the pin and sleeve has occurred, with result-ant release of head 4 from tracks 8, switch 12 is actuated to extend piston 11. This, in turn, causes lever 14 to pivot about the axis of shaft 15 and to cause link arm 16 to pull guide member 17 forwardly on `r-ail 18. Drill head 4 will thus retract forwardly, pivoting about the upper ends of mast cylinders 6.

Reverse operation of switch 12 causes head 4 to be moved back into position beneath tracks 8. To properly align the head with the tracks, a stop plate 21 is secured to mast 3 in the path of return head travel. When head 4 is abutting plate 21, it will be aligned with and ride upwardly directly onto tracks 8.

The present invention provides a unique improvement in mast-mounted drill head retraction. Since the drill head is always held by either tracks 8 or the mutually engageable retract means, retraction can be easily accomplished regardless of the angular mast position.

While a pin and sleeve are shown in the drawings and described herein, other suitable mutually cooperating automatic connecting means could be provided without departing from the spirit of the invention. Also, the pin and sleeve coul-d be reversed in position within the inventive concept.

Various modes of carrying out the linvention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

I claim:

1. In a drill rig, the combination comprising:

(a) a mast,

(b) a track on said mast with said track having a terminus portion,

(c) a drill head mounted for movement along said track,

(d) motively actuated head retract means spaced from said track terminus portion and operable when said head is released from said track to pivot said head relative to said mast,

(e) and aut-omatically mutually engageable means on said head and said retract means for providing a connection therebetween as said head is released from said terminus so that said head may be retracted away from said track.

2. The rig of claim 1 which includes: stop means on said mast for aligning said head with the terminus of said track when the head is in unretracted position but released from said track.

3. The drill rig of claim 1 in which said motively actuated head retract means comprises:

(a) motive means (b) pivotal linkage means extending generally toward said track terminus and actuatable by said motive means to move from a normal to a retract position; and said mutually engageable means comprises: connector means on said linkage means and said drill head.

4. The drill rig of claim 1 in which said motively actu ated head retract means comprises:

(a) motive means,

(b) linkage means connected to said motive means and extending generally toward said track terminus,

(c) a guide rail on said mast and extending normal to said track,

(d) and a guide member on said rail and secured to said linkage means for movement along said rail.

5. The rig of claim 4 in which said automatically mutually engageable means comprises: a releasable sleeve and pin connection between said head and said guide member.

6. In a drill rig, the combination comprising:

(a) a mast,

(b) a track extending along said mast and with said track having a terminus portion,

(c) a drill head member mounted on said track,

(d) means for moving said drill head member along said track and off said terminus portion so that said head member is released therefrom,

(e) motive means on said mast,

(f) linkage means connected to said motive means and extending to adjacent said track terminus,

(g) a guide rail on said mast and extending generally normal to said track,

(h) a guide member on said rail and secured to said linkage means for retracting movement aiong said rail when said motive means is actuated,

(i) a sleeve on one of said members,

(j) a pin on the other of said members with said pin being aligned with said sleeve when said drill head member is on said track,

(k) the construction being such that when said head member is moved to adjacent said track terminus said pin is received partially within said sleeve, with said pin being fully received within said sleeve when said head member is released from said track to thereby permit retraction of said head by said motive means.

7. The drill rig of claim 6 which includes: a stop member on said mast and disposed lfor engagement by said head member upon return of the latter from retraction to align the head member with the terminus portion of the said track.

8. The drill rig of claim 6 in which said mast is positionable at an angle other than vertical, the construction permitting connection of said sleeve and pin and retraction of said head member in the out-of-vertical mast position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,200,075 5/1940 Caldwell 173-44 2,657,015 10/1953 Colquitt 173--57 2,803,434 8/1957 Heinish 173-57 3,301,334 1/1967 Odgers et al. 173--43 ERNEST R. PURSER, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A DRILL RIG, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: (A) A MAST, (B) A TRACK ON SAID MAST WITH SAID TRACK HAVING A TERMINUS PORTION, (C) A DRILL HEAD MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT ALONG SAID TRACK, (D) MOTIVELY ACTUATED HEAD RETRACT MEANS SPACED FROM SAID TRACK TERMINUS PORTION AND OPERABLE WHEN SAID HEAD IS RELEASED FROM SAID TRACK TO PIVOT HEAD RELATIVE TO SAID MAST, (E) AND AUTOMATICALLY MUTUALLY ENGAGEABLE MEANS ON SAID HEAD AND SAID RETRACT MEANS FOR PROVIDING A CONNECTION THEREBETWEEN AS SAID HEAD IS RELEASED FROM SAID TERMINUS SO THAT SAID HEAD MAY BE RETRACTED AWAY FROM SAID TRACK. 